Beer-tapper.



W. W. FRISHOLM.

BEER, T APPFR. APPLICATION FILED APR. 2, 1910.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

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ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PIANOGRAFH CON WASH WILLIAM-W. FRISI-IOLM, OF LEADVILLE, COLORADO.

BEER-TAPPERQ Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

Application filed Apri12, 1910. Serial No. 552,963.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. FRIS- HOLM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Leadville, in the county of Lake and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beer- Tappers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in beer tappers, and consists in certain novel constructions, and combinations of parts, hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved device for tapping beer and other efl'ervescing liquids which-will permit the entering of the device into the keg or other receptacle without waste, and which, while permitting the free egress of the liquid, will also permit the entrance of air under pressure to force out the liquid.

Referring to the drawings forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the improvement, Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a view partly in section, of a portion of the tapper, Fig. 4 is an end view of the tap with the coupling removed, Fig. 5 is a view of the draft tube, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cap.

The present invention is an improvement over the device shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 476,622 filed February 8, 1909, Patent Number 948,647, Feb. 8,

1910, (2252), and comprises a bushing whose outer surface is slightly conical as shown and screw threaded as at 2, for engaging the tapping hole ofthe beer barrel 3. The bushing is also provided with the usual shoulder 4, and the inner surface is threaded as at 5. The outer part of the opening of the bushing is enlarged as at 6 to form a shoulder 7, between the outer enlarged portion and the threaded portion,

1 and at its inner end the bushing is also cut away as at 8. The screw threads on the outer surface of the bushing are left handed while those on the inner surface are right handed. The tap 9 is externally threaded as at 11 for engagingthe inner threads of the bushing, and an annular flange 12 which forms a shoulder 13 is provided on the outer end of the tap. The said shoulder 13 cooperates with the shoulder 7 before mentioned, a packing 14 being arranged between the shoulders. The tap 9 communicates with the interior of the barrel at its inner end by means of a nipple 61, and a hollow cylindrical valve 17 having a slot 15 in its side is received within the tap. The said valve is seated in a substantially cylindrical casing having a passage 19, which terminates in the bore of the nipple 61, and within the wall of the valve is arranged a passage 20, which is adapted to register with the lateral perforation 16 of the tap, the passage having an angular portion 21 for this purpose. The valve is reduced at its outer end forming a shoulder 22 and a ring 24 encircles the reduced portion, the outer surface of the ring being threaded to en gage a threaded portion on the inner face of an enlarged portion 25 of the bore of the tap. The outer face of the ring is provided with diametrically opposite openings 26 for receiving the points of a spanner to turn the ring when removing or placing the same. A coupling 27 is fitted into the tap 9, the said coupling having a reduced portion 28 for entering thetap, and a still further reduced portion 29 for entering the valve. The reduced portion 28 is provided with lugs 30, which are adapted to engage bayonet slots 31 on the inner surface of the tap, to lock the coupling in place, and the face of the tap is provided with an opening 32 for receiving a locking bolt 33 slidable in a recess 34 of the coupling and normally moved into engagement with the opening by a spring 35. The bolt is provided at its outer end with a milled head 36 and is arranged in an enlargement 38 on the coupling. When introducing the coupling, it is turned in such a position that the lugs will enter the slots, when it is turned, and when in looking position the bolt 33 will engage the opening 32.

The ring 24, before mentioned, prevents withdrawal of the valve when the coupling is removed. When the said coupling is removed, the valve may move outwardly slightly but the shoulder 22 by its engagement with the ring 24 will check the move ment of the valve.

' The coupling is provided with a passage connected by a suitable pipe 50 with a source of air supply and the inner end of the coupling is internally threaded as at 51.

A valve casing 52 is threaded into the inner end of the coupling, and within the casing is a ball valve 53 adapted to close the passage through the coupling, and normally retained in closed position by a spring 54 encircling the stem 55 of the valve, which stem slides through a bearing 56 in the casing and is provided with a collar 57, be tween which collar and the bearing the spring is arranged.

In operation, the tap is threaded into the bushing with the valve 17 in place. The locking ring 24 is inserted, and the valve is turned to bring the slot 15 out of register with the passage in the nipple and the passage 21 out of register with the perforation 16. A cap 58 is placed in position on the outer end of the tap and the bushing is threaded into the tapping hole of the barrel. After the bushing is in place, the cap 58 is removed and the coupling 27 is placed in position and locked. The locking of the bushing turns the valve so that the passage 19 registers with the slot 15 in the side of the valve and the passage 21 registers with the perforation 16. It will be understood that a suitable pipe not shown is connected with the outer end of the coupling 27 for leading the beer to the place of discharge, and the discharge of the pipe is controlled by a suitable valve, not shown, and the pipe 50 is connected with a suitable source of air supply.

hen the beer is to be withdrawn, the controlling means at the place of discharge is opened. The beer passes out in the usual manner, and at suitable intervals the pressure in the barrel is increased, by air under pressure entering through the pipe 50. The cap 58 before mentioned, is provided with lugs 59 for engaging the bayonet slots, and with openings 60, for engagement by the points of a spanner. The cap is placed and removed by means of the spanner.

It will be understood that the air enters the barrel through the pipe 50 under considerable pressure, which entrance is permitted by the ball valve, the valve, however, preventing the air from passing outward.

It will be understood that the slot 15 is closed, as is also the perforation 16, by the rotation of the coupling. These openings are, however, normally and usually open, the coupling 27 being connected as before stated, by a discharge pipe with the usual beer faucet, which may be at a distance from the keg. When the coupling is locked in position by the bolt 33 the slot and perforation of the casing are in register with the slot and perforation of the tap. When the said faucet is open, the pressure in the discharge pipe is reduced, and the beer flows through a pipe 63 to be described, the passage 19, slot 15 and valve 17.

At one side of the inner end of the tap, a nipple 61 extends inwardly, and the passage 19 of the tap communicates with the nipple. A pipe 68 preferably of aluminum has one of its ends inserted in the nipple 61, and the other end of the pipe is closed at 64. Adjacent to the closed end, the pipe is provided with openings 65, which permit the entrance of the beer. The pipe 63 remains in the beer, and being non-corrosive does not impart any taste thereto, and permits every drop of the beer to be withdrawn. The pipe is of suitable shape to reach the lowest portion of the receptacle, and since the beer is prevented from becoming fiat by the air admitted. no beer is wasted in the use of the improved tapper.

I claim:

1. A device of the character specified, comprising a bushing for engaging a barrel, a tap threaded into the bushing and provided with a passage for beer and a passage for air, a coupling having beer and air passages, means for locking the coupling to the tap, a valve rotatable in the tap and having passages adapted to register with and connecting the respective passages of the tap and of the coupling, said valve having a depression encircling the air passage, and the coupling having a conical projection encircling the air passage therein for engaging said depression to connect the valve and the coupling, the locking means of the coupling being positioned to lock the coupling to the tap when the valve has been rotated into position to connect the respective passages, and a pipe. leading from the tap to the bottom of the barrel.

2. A device of the character specified, comprising a bushing for engaging a barrel, a tap threaded into the bushing and provided with a passage for beer and a passage for air, a coupling having beer and air passages, means for locking the coupling to the tap, a valve rotatable in the tap and having passages adapted to register with and connecting the respective passages of the tap and of the coupling, means for connecting the coupling and valve to cause the valve to rotate with the coupling, the locking means for the coupling to lock the coupling to the tap when the passages of the tap, valve and coupling are in register, and a pipe leading from the tap to the bottom of the barrel.

WILLIAM 1V. FRISHOLM.

Witnesses:

HENRY R. PENDERY, THos. H. DUNN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

